Growing Pains
by TalksToSelf
Summary: Spoilers for Fay's past KuroxYuui First Soma, then Kurogane... Tomoyo's developed a habit of taking in orphans. When she dreams of blond twins in captivity and has them brought to the castle, Kurogane somehow ends up their guard or glorified babysitter
1. SHE BIT ME SHE BIT ME

A/n: This is… semi-au. More like pre-canon. Kurogane aged 13 has been in the care of Tomoyo for nearly a year when two orphaned boys are left in HIS care. (A/n: I dunno how old Kurogane was when he was found… he looked around 12 and his voice hadn't broken)

For the sake of the plot we'll assume everything that happened to Kurogane and everything that happened to Fay and Yuui happened roughly within the same time period and that Fay and Yuui are a little younger than Kurogane (10 or 11)

Chapter 1:

"Damnit!" He stomped his foot. "Damnit damnit damnit!" He pushed past the doors of Shirasagi castle, obviously fuming over something, a young woman following close behind.  
"Kurogane, there's no need to swear." Soma sighed, used to his tantrums as he hurried into the throne room where the youngest Princess was sat at the window, looking out in a dreamlike trance.  
"She's coming." Tomoyo mumbled  
"I KNOW she's coming." Kurogane huffed, clenching his fists. "Why did nobody tell me?" He pouted, hurrying to the window to get a better look at the large parade of soldiers and guards entering the castle grounds. Kurogane smiled to himself knowing one day he'd be strong enough to be part of the majestic guard just like he'd wanted. He wanted to prove to himself, to his father's memory, he was strong. And the job required strength, restraint and elegance.  
"My sister is not as predictable as I'd like." The empress said calmly watching the familiar carriage of the sun child stop. Sure enough a minute later the Amaterasu entered. Kurogane and Soma bowed immediately.

"Did you find them?" Tomoyo asked no sooner had the two laid eyes on each other. The elder sister nodded gravely.  
"Looks like our quaint little castle is becoming a shelter for orphans." She sighed then smiled gently at Kurogane and Soma, the previous orphans to whom she had referred, who had been taken in separately. Kurogane from his ruined village, and long before him Soma in the forest.  
"Kendappa-chan please do not divert from topic." Tomoyo whispered softly. "What condition are they in?"  
"See for yourself." And with that she beckoned her little sister, and the two warriors after her as she strode downstairs. Kurogane and Soma scuffled slightly over who got to walk closest to the princesses, which only caused the girls to smile. It was always like that with those two. These joyous expressions quickly faded however when they entered a room containing a soldier and two young children. With blond floor length hair in tangles, and blue eyes wide in fright, bulging from their sallow and pallid dirtied skin they were obviously in an advanced state of weakness, shaking and swaying slightly. All four of their skeletal hands clung together between them, nails bloodied and torn. Their dirtied clothes matched but were sliced and tattered, while their feet were bare and cut. It was amazing they were standing.

"Poor things." Tomoyo whispered putting her tiny hand on her heart, though she was still only young her dreams showed her terrible things sometimes, but like with Kurogane she was proud to have seen this dream, to help the young twins. Kurogane hurried forward to inspect them close up.  
"Be nice." Warned Soma cautiously.  
"I will I will, what're your names?" He asked almost excitedly, they didn't get many children in the castle, in fact he was probably the youngest aside from Tomoyo. When he got no response he prodded one of them with his wooden practice sword, since he'd been banned from carrying his metal sword around the castle ("Temper!") his wooden practice sword was never away from him.  
"Kurogane." She scolded.  
"Oi, I asked your names." He ordered, puffing his cheeks a little, irritated at being ignored, since he had been here longer, he decided he had authority over them, which was a fun idea to him considering pretty much everyone in the castle had authority over him. When he again got no response he prodded one of them in the shoulder only to find sharpened yellow teeth snap over his finger.

"THE HELL! SHE BIT ME, SHE BIT ME!" Kurogane roared and Soma dragged him back to stop him hitting the terrified twins, who had become more alarmed at the yelling. He sulked over his bitten finger making a silent vow to get the brat back for injuring him.  
"A good warrior must always be on guard." Kendappa whispered.  
"I always am, Mikado." Soma and Kendappa shared an all-knowing smile.  
"She's annoying. They both are send them home." He huffed, nursing his hand and his pride.  
"You're annoying." Soma countered smugly folding her arms. "We don't send YOU home."  
"Please don't squabble." Tomoyo whispered, Soma and Kurogane stuck their tongues out at each other. "And they are boys." She added. Kurogane did a double take. It was understandable he'd taken them for girls, but then again they barely looked human in that state.  
"They don't speak a word of Japanese as far as I can tell… we found them in his tower and cellar just like you said." The Amaterasu whispered.  
"What do we do with them?" Tomoyo whispered looking at her older sister for guidance, they hadn't dealt with foreign children before.  
"The same as with Soma and Kurogane… they have nowhere else to go. They will stay here." She said decisively. "We should get them into a warm bath and some clean clothes… we ought to feed them and someone should fix their hair."

She extended her hand to the small boys but both stood resolutely still.  
"Leave 'em there if they don't want help." Kurogane mumbled, sucking at the wound of his finger.  
"A certain someone ALSO didn't want help when we first found him." Tomoyo reminded him pointedly, causing him to blush furiously. "These two have been held captive a long time, they're bound to be scared, now if you could please apologise."  
"Sorry." He muttered under his breath, he hated being bossed around, but since Tomoyo was nearly always home in contrast to her sister, he had grown to like her… respect her even. He didn't disobey anything she asked.  
"How do we get them to trust us?" Soma asked, tightening her grip on her own sword, should they come to bite her too.  
"Maybe we should work on food first?" Tomoyo mused, leaving the room. Kurogane wondered whether to follow her, as a guard, but Soma beat him to it, so he stood instead beside the sun empress, surveying the two boys. They weren't looking at each other, but around them, scared of everything they saw, their hands held together between them, so tight that their pale knuckles were yellowed with stress.  
"It's okay." Kurogane said suddenly. "You guys don't hafta be afraid here. You'll learn to fight and grow up real tough." He swung his practice sword playfully, sparring with an imaginary partner. "And the food's pretty good too… unless Soma cooks," He added.  
"What was that?" Demanded Soma from behind him, as she and Tomoyo returned carrying a tray of soft foods.

"Will Japanese food agree with them, they're foreign." Kendappa stared at the food curiously, they were weak and if they got sick it would probably kill them.  
"I doubt they'll take it." her little sister smiled. "Right now they don't trust us enough, but…" Her sweet smile changed into a devilish one. "If we use Kurogane as a test subject…"  
"Nobody's doing ANY tests on me." Kurogane said determinedly, scowling and pouting.  
"We want you to offer them it, then take a bit yourself… just to prove we're not poisoning them." She handed him the tray and he staggered slightly under its weight, he understood why they'd both carried it. He sighed and approached the twins, who instantly stepped back, eyes flashing at each other in fright.  
"Don't be stupid, it's food… y'know like to eat." He held it out to them and they surveyed it very cautiously.  
"Try some yourself… to show them it's safe." Kendappa prompted.  
"Yeah yeah…" He mumbled, taking a small bite of the food, then returning the offer to the two boys. They looked at each other then shook their heads firmly. Kurogane shrugged. "Suit yourself." He took another bite. "You can eat when you're hungry but you need a bath coz other people have to smell you." He nodded his head towards the door. One of the twins raised his eyebrows at his brother who shook his head violently. They began whispering hoarsely in a language nobody recognised, however it made Kurogane feel blown off so he started to leave, towards the others. Instantly the boys followed.

"The hell." He stopped walking, and the twins stopped. He kept walking, and they started again.  
"Aww, they like you." Simpered Tomoyo cutely.  
"How do I get em to un-like me?" Kurogane asked picking up the pace, they followed too, half running ungainly on bandy weakened legs. He hid behind Tomoyo and they waited patiently at the other side of her.  
"Real warriors don't hide behind women's skirts." Soma pointed out.  
"Lucky for me she's a girl not a woman, and she's wearing a kimono not a skirt." Kurogane countered.  
"Just take them to the bathroom? I'm certain that if you run a bath they'll get the message." Tomoyo said in her kindest most sympathetic voice.  
"The hell did I end up a babysitter?" He growled, and swinging his wooden sword over his shoulder he marched from the room, the twin boys hurrying after him.

* * *

"Well they look a lot better." Soma mumbled at dinner, peering at them, truth be told they didn't look much better, though their hair was now bright blond instead of the dull murky blond colour, it was still long and knotted. Though their skin was now clean and pale, it was stretched taught across their bones, translucent with malnutrition, and their fingers swollen badly. Though their torn and tattered clothes had been replaced with clean yukatas they hung off their tiny skeletal forms and looked completely out of place.  
"Smell a lot better too." Kurogane said proudly, glad he'd made them understand how to take a bath. He'd ran the water in the bathtub, splashed them both then left the room, however when he tried to lock it (downstairs had traditional paper sliding doors, but upstairs had heavier wooden doors that Tomoyo had insisted was a western cultural difference) they both started yelling and screaming hysterically, so he left the door slightly ajar for them, blocking the doorway from the outside so nobody could peek in.  
"They won't let us near their hair though." Tomoyo sighed, nursing a wound where one of the twins had bitten her, she didn't seem at all offended that they'd attacked, she had expected it.

"Still no names?" Soma asked; kneeling down a little to their level, they were fairly short, probably for their ages. They looked around 8 or 9, but this was just a guess. "Names?" She repeated pointing at them. They blinked at her behind their long blond fringes. She pointed at herself. "I'm Soma. You are…"  
"Next time bring home Japanese orphans." Kurogane complained.  
"It's like having babies, you don't get a choice." Kendappa said running her hands through her hair. "Have they eaten yet?"  
"Nope, not yet. Oi!" Kurogane barked at them, as though they knew they were collectively 'oi' the boys looked up. He handed them a bowl each and pointed at a big bowl of rice. "Eat." He instructed.  
"Eat." Whispered one of the little boys, repeating the word. He looked confused for a moment before nodding in understanding and leading the other to the bowl. He very carefully and apprehensively served them both some rice.  
"Well done." Tomoyo clapped at Kurogane.  
"Yeah well… you just gotta use the right tone of voice." He shrugged and continued with his own food. Her eyes sparkled as she watched the two boys sit on the floor and very cautiously feed each other, using their hands.

"Oi… don't sit there morons!" Kurogane sighed. They looked at him. "Table…" He beckoned them. "Sit at… like… like civilized idiots. Cutlery too!" He nodded. When the boys, who obviously didn't understand didn't move, he shook his head crossing over to them.  
"Eat." Suggested the boy on the left, offering up the only Japanese he knew.  
"Yes eat… but eat over here." He held out his hand to the boy, the same one who had spoken both times. The boys both stared for a moment, and for the briefest of seconds Kurogane thought they would refuse. Then the more confident of the two took Kurogane's hand and stood up. His twin took his hand and their rice bowls and they quietly crossed to the table.  
"Kurogane… they seem to like you." Kendappa looked at him thoughtfully. "How would you like your first duty as a guard." His ruby eyes widened in shock. "I'm making it your duty to guard these two. Day and Night."  
"I won't let you down!" He saluted, puffing out his chest proudly. He turned to the twins, who had tuned out. They had eaten only a few mouthfuls each but had been starved for so long it filled them.

"Kurogane." He pointed at himself. "Kurogane." He repeated, prodding himself in the chest. The boy who had spoken before opened his mouth and began practicing the new word, mouthing silently before attempting.  
"Kuro…" He managed before stopping and struggling. He looked a little frustrated. "Kuro…hahn.."  
"Ku-ro-ga-ne."  
"Ku-ro-ha… he… h-ah…" He averted his eyes embarrassedly.  
"I don't think their language uses the G sound." Soma said decisively. Kurogane sighed and nodded, since it was his family name he didn't want it butchering but… he pointed at himself.  
"Kuro. Kuro… that will do."  
"Kuro." The boy nodded in agreement then pointed at himself. "Fay."  
"Fay… that's a girl's name… you SURE they're boys?" Kurogane grumbled before nodding at the boy. "Fay… and him?" He pointed at the other twin who shook his head.

The two began to whisper hurriedly, and all the while the shyer boy didn't let his eyes lock with Kurogane's.  
"Any clue what language they're yatterin' in?" Kurogane asked the ladies.  
"None at all… have fun." Tomoyo smiled and the three left the room, leaving Kurogane with Fay and the unnamed twin.

A/n: This story will be KuroYuui… who is Fay from Tsubasa. Also I know Soma's quite a bit older than him... but I made Soma and Kurogane fight a lot because in the manga the first time we really see Soma she yells at Kurogane for yelling at Tomoyo heh, I'd imagine their childhood was filled with arguing.

Also, Kendappa first introduces herself with 'I am Amaterasu' (sun) which is her title, as is 'Mikado' (what Soma calls her), but in RG Veda her given name is Kendappa, so Tomoyo calls her that.


	2. Boys Aren’t Supposed To Hold Hands

A/n: Fast update ya?

Chapter 2:

For the first week the twins did little more than sleep and eat, which was probably due to exhaustion because every time they were up for more than an hour they'd faint. They soon became well enough to walk around, even if only for a little while a day. Kurogane took his new job very seriously, he was not just their boss, he was their GUARD, it was a huge responsibility and he was proud the empress had chosen him for it. Though, with the twins pulling on his sleeve every few minutes it was sometimes hard to take pride in what was little more than glorified babysitting.

During the second week, Kurogane realised that the brother who refused to name himself did not seem to want to speak Japanese at all, and whereas Fay would occasionally pick up words ('please?', 'no', 'yes', 'eat' and 'this?') the other twin seemed reluctant to get any help from anyone other than Fay. They were both depending on each other as much as possible.  
"Kuro." Prompted Fay. "This?" He asked holding up two fingers, and pointing between himself and his brother.  
"Two?" Kurogane suggested. "Like… one." He held up one finger. "Two." Showing a second. "Three?" Fay shook his head.  
"No… this." He pointed back and forth between himself and the other.  
"Oh… twins."  
"O-twins?" Fay repeated. Kurogane shook his head, he was not a language teacher damnit.  
"Twins."  
"Twins." Fay mumbled, nodding deciding that it was the right word, he trusted Kurogane not to teach him the wrong words, however when he nodded his long knotted hair fell in front of his eyes.

"Cut." Kurogane said decisively, reaching forward and touching Fay's hair, he'd learned now that getting too close to the other one resulted in kicking or biting, but he could touch Fay without hassle. He looked confused and stared at the hair in Kurogane's hand. "Short… like mine." He signalled up at his own hair then made scissor motions on Fay's hair. Fay nodded slowly.  
"Twins cut?" He asked, pointing at his brother. Kurogane nodded.  
"Yeah both the same." He said, glad he'd made him understand. The nameless twin looked confused, and Fay explained it in their language. Cautiously he nodded, and Kurogane grinned, a chance to use his real sword was always a good thing! He lead them to his room and grabbed the hilt, he'd been forbidden from carrying it with him, but he was allowed it in his room. Fay looked a little cautious but the nameless twin was fascinated and watched the blade in amazement, whispering one word from elsewhere, a spark of something that could be bloodlust in his brilliant blue eyes.  
"Cut… this?" Fay asked curiously, tilting his head a little, he seemed marginally afraid of the weapon, but he trusted Kurogane completely.  
"Cut with it yeah…" Kurogane pointed at the chair, ordering them to sit, which the mystery boy did obediently. This slightly surprised the young warrior, who had expected that he'd be trouble. With one bright flash of silver most of the boys hair fell to the floor in a long sheet. Kurogane had left the knotted mess to reach his chin, knowing a hairbrush and some proper scissors would be necessary to making them look even halfway respectable. "I think Tomoyo can fix the details." He told them after slashing Fay's locks too.  


* * *

"I can't believe how well behaved they are." Tomoyo whispered. "Given the circumstances…"  
"I can't believe how well behaved Kurogane's being." Soma countered, folding her arms as she surveyed the situation. Kurogane was trying to teach Fay how to use chopsticks, and Fay was teaching his brother. Neither were getting it right, and so far had succeeded only in making a rather large mess.  
"Don't be an idiot. Like this." Kurogane ordered, forcefully adjusting the position of Fay's hands so he understood.  
"I can… stability is good for him right now. And the power is a plus for him, without it being overwhelming. Call it… healing if you must. For all three of them."  
"You guys are morons." Kurogane grumbled, banging his head against the desk, much to the twins' confusion.  
"Kurogane please don't call them names until they know enough Japanese to fight back, it's not fair." Tomoyo said half smiling exasperatedly. Kurogane nodded, and decided she had a point, what good is arguing with an idiot who doesn't listen? He continued showing Fay how to use the sticks.  
"Has he still not told you his name?" Soma queried, looking at the quieter twin.  
"Nope." Kurogane shrugged, not at all bothered by this.  
"He can't just be 'that other one' for his whole life."  
"In some cultures." Tomoyo said wistfully. "You only give your name to those you trust." She smiled cutely the way young children were prone to do when discussing fairytales then pouted. "If only one of them were a girl." She sighed dejectedly.

Soma did a double-take. A female Kurogane would be creepy, and the boys were feminine enough to look like girls anyway. Though they were clean and had new haircuts (long shoulder length wispy blond haircuts that matched), though their nails were growing back and wounds seemed almost invisible, though they had been fed, they still seemed small and frail, like they would blow over in the slightest breeze.  
"I heard that." Kurogane grumbled. "He'll tell me his name when he stops being an idiot."  
"This idiot?" Fay queried, not asking if his brother was an idiot, but asking for a definition.  
"Uh… stupid… unintelligent… moronic." Kurogane rattled off synonyms making dazed faces and smacking his head.  
"No idiot." Fay whispered sadly, but the other boy was smiling as though he found the insult highly amusing.  
"No idiot." Kurogane promised.  
"You should try teaching them some more words… sentences." Soma prodded.  
"Them? Only one of them talks to me." Kurogane grunted packing up their bowls. Fay took the chopsticks and the other took the bowls, helping the maid carry them.  
"He'll come round." Tomoyo promised. "Try the library."

Kurogane left muttering darkly about babysitters and con-women.  
"I'm a freakin' palace guard not a Japanese teacher - Keep up." He added, and the two boys behind him sped up at the sound of his authoratative. They followed him into the library, shelves upon shelves glowered down at them groaning with the weight of so many books. The smell of leather and scroll, combined with years and years of dust made the place seem hauntingly still. The entirely new room fascinated Fay.  
"Kuro… this?" He whispered in awe looking around at him, doing a half spin.  
"Library."  
"Lie… Leebra…" Fay tried very hard, stumbling over the word. The other twin whispered something in his ear before he fully got it. "Libr-erry!" He breathed happily.  
"Yeah, library: full of books. Dunno why she told me to bring you here you can't read Japanese." He yawned over dramatically but Fay had already hurried over to a bookshelf and was currently running his fingers over dusty tomes apparently searching. While he was looking, Kurogane was left alone with the quiet twin. They stared awkwardly at each other for a moment or two, until the young foreigner did something severely unexpected.

He jumped on Kurogane and hugged him over zealously.  
"The hell! Get off me you damn psychopath!" Kurogane roared trying to pry himself free. Fay, from his place by the shelf laughed softly. It was the first time Kurogane had heard either of them laugh, so he reluctantly gave up, allowing the boy to cling to him. Moments later Fay returned carrying a very thick book, he showed it to Kurogane.  
"This."  
"You want me to read you it?" Kurogane pointed at himself as he questioned, blowing dust from the cover into the air. The nameless twin received a faceful, and started to cough, he released his grip on Kurogane, and instead held his hand, using his other hand to cover his mouth as violent coughing wracked his frail body his skeletal hand clutching Kurogane's desperately. Kurogane blinked, somehow it felt different to have this twin holding his hand, with Fay it was a hand expecting trust and respect in equality, whereas this… this hand seemed cautious and afraid, scared and unsure… there was an overwhelming need for reassurance issued from the touch. But _boys aren't supposed to hold hands_, so Kurogane ignored it.  
"No… No Kuro… twins." Fay insisted, clutching the book to his chest to indicate, and hiding the title from him. He absently reached forward and stroked his brother's hair as he recovered from the coughing fit with a bright smile.  
"YOU want to read it?" He pointed at Fay who nodded. For the life of him Kurogane couldn't figure out why Fay would want a Japanese book, but nodded anyway.  
"Yes?"  
"Yes."

And for the entire day, the unnamed twin held Kurogane's hand while Fay poured through the volume in apparent interest. The twins' room was neat and tidy, and the bed was made… Kurogane was amazed at how polite they were.  
"Kuro…" Fay asked, looking up from the book. "No please?" He pointed at the slightly open door. Kurogane looked confused. The other twin looked amazed and started rattling off in his own language, while Fay just smiled and nodded.  
"No what?"  
"Please…" Fay repeated, pointing at the door.  
"Leave?" Kurogane questioned, miming walking. Fay nodded and the other twin squeezed his hand tightly, before letting go and pointing at the door. Kurogane blinked… twins were freaky. "Uh… kay I'll be outside the door." He again left the door slightly ajar and stood on guard: he'd learned from day one they had an intense phobia of locks, whether on the bedroom, the bathroom: anything. Privacy was obviously low on their list of priorities. Through the gap in the door he could hear them babbling hurriedly in some foreign tongue, and had to wonder why he'd been asked to leave the room, there was nothing they couldn't say in front of him because he didn't understand.

As he heard them talking he felt a strange shiver, one not entirely unfamiliar to him. It was the feeling he sometimes got in the middle of the night when his mother, or now Tomoyo had strange dreams. A warm rush that quite clearly felt… magical. He shook his head, determined to rid himself of that thought. Two seers in the castle were definitely enough. He froze, as a giant CRASH sounded from in their room followed by screaming and tears. He hurried in, knowing his wooden sword would be of little use against an enemy.  
"The hell hap… oh." He blinked. One of the twins was sat on the floor, rubbing his head where a small trickle of blood ran, while the other was floating… midair, trying to bring himself down by flailing his hands in a desperate attempt to 'swim' through the air to his brother. Kurogane bent down. "What happened?" He questioned, feeling a little guilty. So much for watching them day and night.

The floating twin was crying very loudly and seemed almost hysterical, covering his face with his hands while thrashing his legs to try stop himself floating, whereas the injured one looked slightly dazed, blue eyes unfocused: probably concussed. He'd obviously hit his head on something… by floating?  
"C'mon you…" He sighed, ducking under his arm and lifting him up. "Can you walk?" He moved his feet and practically dragged the semi-conscious boy as he did so. "Guess not…" He swung him up, so he was carrying him like one may do a rag doll, and he was so light Kurogane thought he might aswell have been carrying a doll. "And would you shut up! He'll be fine!" Kurogane growled, reaching up and grabbing the screaming blond by the pant leg to stop him floating. He eased him down to the ground but he seemed to become more hysterical, flinging himself at his brother in defence, trying to pry Fay from Kurogane's arms but only wearing himself out.

"I'm just getting his head checked…" He paused and pointed at the wound. "This… checked?"  
"Fay." Wailed the unharmed twin, cuddling him close, which didn't help Kurogane's movements in the slightest.  
"Look… I can't handle you being a baby right now. Chin up and come with me." He rearranged Fay so he was carrying him on his shoulder, and held out his hand to the usually quiet twin who took it very reluctantly. There was an air of defeat as he took them to the infirmary room.

A/n: Sorry Yuui's still not been named: next chapter I promise, I'm getting sick of calling him 'the nameless twins' REVIEWS ARE LOVE.


	3. He's Not Shy

A/n:went to the digital world... by which I mean a black ocean, a steel grey sky and fog for miles... yesterday as a daytrip vacation.

Chapter 3:

"He'll be okay… he'll have to stay here in isolation for 24 hours so I can keep an eye on it though, and make sure he's not got any damage done internally… nasty bump it is." The nurse instructed in a disgusted tone.  
"That's fine by me… but how do I explain it to him?" Kurogane sighed, nodding his head at the distraught brother, clutching tightly to Fay's coat. How do you explain to a foreign mute that there are no visitors?  
"He looks like he fell from a great height… how did…"  
"They were climbing." Kurogane lied smoothly. "He fell off the wardrobe." Since the twins could say no different, he thought it best he discourage the attention, and glanced back at the quieter twin.  
"I might have known, thick as two plants these foreign children... don't know what Amaterasu was thinking."Muttered thes the nurse as she left. The standing blond boy looked dead on his feet, pale and shaking, as though he'd given up all hope. Kurogane placed a hand cautiously on his shoulder and was consequently bitten as response.  
"Son of a bitch!" He hissed darkly. Fay sighed but did not do anything to discourage his twin's uncivilised behaviour, he too looked hopelessly lost.

"You really WILL be okay…" He swore in what he hoped was a reassuring tone, it was hard to be nice when one of them kept biting! He leaned forward and with his unbitten hand brushed the mopped up cut on Fay's head. "Fine… alright… okay…"  
"Kuro…" Fay said softly. "Leave?" He looked a little worried. Kurogane pointed back between himself and the still sobbing brother.  
"Yeah… we leave. Two leave." He raised 2 fingers, then nodded at the door, causing the brother who was already crying to wail, and Fay to sob softly. "We'll be back…" He promised. "And this… this'll heal in no time, it's a tiny cut… kay?" He looked at them then sighed, even though he was slightly apprehensive to touch he reached for the boy's hand again, so he could lead him from the room. The boy took it and was lead halfway to the door before he realised he and Fay were being separated, he began to howl hysterically and swung his free hand. The door of the room slammed shut on its own, leaving the three of them in there, then he stood in front of Kurogane, holding his arms apart, blocking his way. He'd had enough.

He yelled something at Fay who spoke very softly back. Kurogane wasn't sure he liked their tones of voices… the boy in front of him sounded panicked and desperate, while the boy behind him spoke gravely and seriously.  
"Kuro…" Fay said gently, and Kurogane turned to look. "This," He pointed at his temple, and tapped it. "No this… Fay no." Kurogane froze… did they want to. Damn magicians!  
"No. Nobody's erasing my memory… why the hell would you do that!?" He demanded covering his temples. He had too many things he didn't want to forget here… and back home. He could not lose his memories, and damnit he'd fight them if he had to. Fay looked confused, then nodded at his brother who advanced upon him. Kurogane raised his toy sword between them, only to find it magically cast aside. He felt every nerve in his body freeze. This was it… they'd turned on him. He couldn't move, nor could he scream, as the twin's cold hands placed upon his head. He closed his eyes expecting the worst.

After a moment when nothing seemed to have happened he opened his eyes. The boy sat down (again, on the floor) dizzily, rubbing his head, and looking incredibly weak.  
"You MUSTN'T tell! He ordered. Kurogane blinked… had he just spoken? Much less spoken quite clearly in Japanese. "We mean it, not a single person in this castle can know we have magic."  
"I… uh… okay then?" He rubbed his head in confusion, glad he could move. "Since when do you speak Japanese?"  
"I don't, I'm speaking my language." The boy said calmly, and Kurogane noticed that true to his words, his lips and words moved out of sync. "I just put a spell on you so you can understand me and I you… you mustn't tell ANYONE." He stressed.  
"O…kay… but why not?"  
"Because… just because." He said haughtily. Fay whispered something in a tongue Kurogane couldn't follow.  
"Eh… how come I can understand you and not him!" This was over Kurogane's head by far, he hadn't expected any of this when he'd signed on to be their guard.  
"My magic is poor at the minute… and Fay's is almost completely exhausted, I can only cast this spell for us two, and he cannot follow…" he shook his head looking slightly dejected.  
"His magic cut out when he was floating then?" Kurogane sighed, the whole situation was far too weird. The boy nodded.

"He hit his head when he fell." Yuui looked worriedly at Fay, who was still very weak. Another injury was a major setback in his recovery. "You CAN'T make us leave, not until we're better… please give us that headstart." He whispered, shaking a little in apparent fear and upset.  
"Eh… leave?"  
"Kuro this… twins leave." Whispered Fay sadly. Kurogane shook his head hurriedly at the misunderstanding.  
"No… no not twins leave. Kuro say Kuro and this twin leave." He paused, then realised he was still talking in baby language. He hit his head. "Tell him it was because he injured himself, he has to stay here to get better, I was trying to say you and I needed to leave, we have no intention of kicking you out." Fay's eyes widened as his brother relayed the message. There was a brief discussion then the nameless twin threw himself at Kurogane in another over excited hug.

"The hell… _why_ do you keep doing that!?" He demanded, trying to pry him away, but he held awfully tight for a skeleton.  
"Because I appreciate the effort. Kuro's really just a softie!" He cried happily. Fay smirked and looked away, finding it rather comical…  
"Ouch okay… can you be a little less appreciative?" Kurogane sighed. "We have to leave him here in the medical wing until tomorrow… he'll be safe until then." He added in promise, trying to ignore the fact the boy was nuzzling their cheeks together like a kitten would a cat. He rallied the information to his twin and after a slightly more upbeat goodbye the two left the room, the blond clinging to Kurogane's hand desperately.

"It'll mean you have to sleep alone tonight." Kurogane said. "I dunno if you can handle that but I'll leave your door open like usual kay…" Sleeping just across the hall meant he could keep an extra close eye on them.  
"I'm a big boy, I can sleep on my own." He laughed, and Kurogane had to admit they had cute laughs; though his eyes were darkened as he spoke, as though sleeping alone would half kill him.  
"Says the kid holding my hand." Kurogane countered coyly. The boy paused, looked down at their entwined hands then grinned.  
"You're holding my hand too." This was… a good point. He tried to shake his hand free but the boy clung like superglue. Kurogane swung sideways a little, and the boy took the opportunity to jump on his back, arms around his neck.  
"The hell get off me you psychopath!" He cried trying to fling Fay's brother forward.  
"Having fun I see." Said a gentle voice. They looked up to see the young priestess princess peering at them for around a corner. She was wearing a smile.  
"Am I hell! Get him off!" He roared still trying to force the hyperactive child from his person. Tomoyo giggled softly.  
"You really are good with shy people." She praised.  
"He's not shy… he just pretends to be shy so he can get attention." Kurogane grumbled, sighing in defeat and looking over his shoulder at the smiling blond with a clueless look on his face. Of course, he wasn't supposed to be able to understand their language, so he had to look clueless, and even only following Kurogane's half of the conversation he knew more than he should do. "I hate you." He muttered.

"Kurogane…" She asked suddenly, looking around. "Where is the other?"  
"Fay's in the meds room, he hit his head." Kurogane fielded, as one of the boy's bony knees dug into his back. "Bitey here wasn't allowed to stay."  
"Goodness… he's certainly… energetic." She mused, as he lay his head atop of Kurogane's, smiling brightly at her.  
"Yeah well… he's still weak so he'll crash in a minute or two anyway." He said gratefully and exasperatedly. Tomoyo smiled and nodded.  
"I'll make sure to pay Fay-kun a visit… have fun." She waved elegantly before disappearing down the hallway. Kurogane growled and lead the immature child outside, into the evening sunshine. It really was beautiful outdoors.  
"Now… get the hell off of me." He hissed into the breeze.  
"I only started talking to you today but… you know me very well." The boy said, sliding down obediently but still holding Kurogane's hand. Seeing his confused look, he continued, stroking a tree in the process. "'he's not shy, he just pretends…'" He quoted, amazed at the plantlife. He had not been outside here yet, and the trees, grasses and wildlife were so much different than what he was used to.  
"Any idiot can see this over energetic behaviour is fake… so's that smile. You're trying to show people you're okay by clinging to me like I'm something special when really you're just using me to mask pain and upset: right?" The boy blinked… how did he know that. "Same for the shyness… you're really scared but you think if you act shy people won't realise _why_."

Blue eyes softened considerably, and for the briefest of moments, the boy looked more relaxed. He let go of Kurogane's hand, and extended his own.  
"I'm Yuui." He said gently.  
"Kurogane." He took the offered hand and shook it, much better than being glomped he supposed.  
"Kuro-chan, got it." Yuui saluted.  
"Damnit brat!" Kurogane raised his practice sword and began chasing the young boy amid cries of  
"Wai Wai, Kuro-tan's stalking me!" Whilst Fay, from his hospital room window looked out on the scene and smiled. It was good that Yuui had someone else to cling to, for had they been imprisoned any longer, he was sure he wouldn't have been able to hold on. Yuui had the determination, and Fay had the gentleness.

"I swear to the gods I will kill you right here right now!" Kurogane howled, running at Yuui who in turn dodged the blow easily, surprisingly agile to say he was still very frail. Fay laughed. Yuui seemed to be drawing energy from the young warrior, his magic, his person, and his health becoming stronger with each passing day. He looked down at himself, weak and skinny, a shadow of his former self…  
"If Yuui can do it… so can I." He whispered determinedly.

A/n: Aww. Kuro-tan's saved them.  
Reviews are greatly appreciated.  
But I'm not as appreciative as Yuui.


	4. Kicking And Screaming

A/n: It's my 18th birthday in a few weeks, I'm taking requests for a Birthday Bundle, info at my LJ (keimeiinbi)

Chapter 4

"Kurogane, can you come quickly, he's hysterical!" Tomoyo whimpered, it wasn't particularly late at night, and Kurogane had been training in the yard. With Fay in the hospital wing and Yuui asleep with exhaustion, Kurogane had been thankful for a night off, training in the cold night of the yard with the fireflies providing light. Tomoyo had appeared in her nightdress looking frantic, Soma behind her, needless to say it shattered his delusion of free time.  
"Huh?"  
"That blond twin, he's become panicked by something." Soma sighed, tightening her own robe across her chest for she didn't think it proper to be in a teenage male's presence while dressed in such a manner.  
"Yuui?" Kurogane strapped his katana back up and thrust it at Soma. He began to stealthily move towards the castle, the females in tow. "What happened?"  
"I don't know, he just freaked out."  
"When did you get his name?" Tomoyo queried, a slight mischievous spark in her eye.  
"Earlier." Kurogane mumbled offhandedly, picking up his stride. The trek to their bedroom-hallway had never seemed so long ad his hackles raised immediately. "WHO CLOSED HIS BEDROOM DOOR!" He roared.  
"I guess… me? I don't know I went to check on him and…" Soma admitted.  
"IDIOT!" Kurogane wrenched the door open, practically tearing it off: a feeling of power surging through him. It was immediately vanquished at the sight of Yuui though, and replaced by one of sorrow, he truly felt he'd failed at protecting them, seeing him like this.

On his knees and elbows, screaming as loud as he could, high pitched voice hoarse with desperation. His tiny hands were yellowed with strain as he pulled at his white blond hair. Even though he was staring at the ground Kurogane could see his face reddened with the effort of hysteria and tears running down his skeletal cheeks.  
"Oi! Enough!" Kurogane barked. Yuui didn't stop, only shaking his head violently, continuing to howl.  
"What's wrong with him?" Soma demanded, fingers in her ears trying to silence the screams.  
"He's scared." Tomoyo whispered, but she was looking at Kurogane. He'd expected Yuui to stop on order, and the fact he was still so panicked worried Kurogane who hurried over to the bundled up form of Yuui.  
"Oi… oi come on I'm here the door's open come on get up shut up, something!" He instructed, as he reached out to touch Yuui's shoulder he was bitten, but for the first time Kurogane didn't pull his hand back. Wincing with the pain of the sharp teeth in his hand he growled. "YUUI! GET A GRIP!" He snapped. Frightened blue eyes locked with his and the screaming turned into terrified whimpering. "Good…" Kurogane sighed and Yuui flung himself at him.

Tiny sharp nails dug into the skin of his back as the blond boy clutched on to him too tightly.  
"I want Fay." He wailed into Kurogane's shirt  
"Fay's asleep, in the hospital wing." Kurogane sighed and looked up at the Tsukiyomi and Soma. "You guys can leave he'll be fine."  
"I WON'T be fine I need Fay!" Yuui cried, sobbing so much his entire body shook. "I need to see him, he'll be scared without me!"  
"Is he really okay? Does he need to be sedated?" Tomoyo whispered looking gravely concerned, she couldn't follow his words but they sounded demented. Kurogane shook his head.  
"The last thing this guy needs is drugging, trust me he's weird enough. Just… just go I can handle this."  
"I'll be in hime's quarters if you need us." Soma bowed and lead the overly nosy princess from the room, not shutting the door as they left. Yuui's breathing was harsh, as his adrenaline wore off and he began to feel hopeless and exhausted. With his weight and his frailty Kurogane was surprised he was up to the theatrics he'd just performed.  
"Kuro-rin, I…"  
"We'll go see Fay first thing in the morning I promise." Kurogane swore absently rubbing Yuui's back. His nightgown was far too big on him and the bones of his spine jutted out through the cloth making him feel like a china doll and reminding Kurogane he could be broken.  
"I don't want to be alone." He mumbled. Kurogane remembered the one time he himself had lost control, and knew it must be something similar to this.

Yuui, who so often wore a bright smile and false attitude was now behaving like a scared child… which technically he was. Kurogane hadn't yet asked the twins how old they were, but they looked so small.  
"You're not alone, kay. I'm here." He promised cradling Yuui like an infant against his chest and furrowing his brow knowing he looked more like a babysitter than ever.  
"You're not Fay." Yuui pointed out.  
"Yeah yeah I know, but Fay could use a night's rest… actually so could you." Kurogane stood up, helping Yuui to his feet, the blond refused to break the embrace.  
"I… I can't be separated from him again." He whimpered. Kurogane nodded and with difficulty helped Yuui onto the bed. He looked more exhausted than Kurogane had seen him, and so desperately sad even a guy as strong as Kurogane was moved. Keeping one arm around the blond twin, the warrior in training lit a candle.  
"Again?" He queried.

Yuui fell quiet, his eyes darkened considerably. Against the glow of the candlelight, his hair glowed almost orange, and his skin seemed more translucent than white.  
"Sorry, I won't ask." He muttered, and sat on the edge of the bed to ease the strain on their arms. Yuui nodded as though that would be best.  
"And you… do you have any siblings?" Yuui asked eventually, vaguely wondering if Tomoyo or Soma were any relation.  
"No, my mother did talk of giving me a little sister once…" Kurogane slipped off his shoes and laid next to Yuui, sensing that the conversation could go on a while. His neck against the bed rest. He still wasn't sure why Tomoyo insisted on Western style bedrooms but the bed was fairly comfortable so he didn't complain.  
"She didn't have another child?" Yuui took the fact Kurogane laid down as a comfort sign, he wrapped his arm around Kurogane's stomach and lay his head on his chest.  
"No, she died… my father too." The young warrior paused, he didn't really get to talk about his parents much, in fact it somewhat hurt. He paused realising how cuddly Yuui was being… it was weird, but oddly enough it felt okay. Red eyes glared down halfheartedly at the young boy, in this situation he supposed comfort was necessary, and Yuui's customs were different than his. Perhaps it was okay for boys to cuddle up, especially if one is scared?  
"Me too… my dad, then my mama." His hand clenched a little as though he too was hurt. "So it's been me and Fay… it always will be." Kurogane nodded, he didn't know that that was like though. He'd never had a friend so close as the two twins were. It was obvious Yuui was scared without Fay.

"How old are you?" He asked eventually. "Like… Eight?"  
"Eleven... and a half." Yuui smiled at Kurogane's shocked face, aware that he looked younger than his true age of eleven. "And you?" he prompted.  
"Thirteen… and a half." Kurogane added, trying to up his status a bit. Surprising though it was to find the twins were not much younger than him, he still had authority over them.  
"How long have you been here?"  
"A year or so…" Kurogane paused, had it been that long? Since he lost everything… yet it all seemed right here. Here had become his home so easily. He wondered if Fay and Yuui would fit in here as well as he had. Yuui nodded against his chest and sighed softly. "Where are you from?"  
"Valeria… I'll go back there one day." He swore.  
"I'm going to go back to Suwa too… it's in ruins but, technically I'm the lord there… when I'm 25 I can take over… and I'll run it the way my mother the Miko Priestess did." Kurogane closed his eyes. "And protect everyone there."  
"We have very different plans." Yuui smiled, knowing he only had one reason to return.

There was a moment's comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts, before Yuui spoke again.  
"Will you please stay with me tonight?" He asked hopefully.  
"Guess so." Kurogane shrugged. "Provided there aren't any more tantrums."  
"I woke up alone… without Fay, in a locked room." He countered, poor defence for his behaviour.  
"It wasn't locked, it was closed." Kurogane muttered and Yuui wriggled a little, his hair brushing Kurogane's hand. He was slightly surprised at how soft it was, like a little girl's.  
"I couldn't get out!" protested the younger boy  
"One day I'll teach you how to work a door then."  
"Do you… Kuro-rin do you think you could… show me how to use a sword?" Yuui whispered so softly Kurogane had to remind himself he'd heard it. He looked down seriously at the boy, and for the first time he saw something… almost scary about him. His eyes were narrowed slightly, the candlelight aiding the glare he was giving the wall opposite them… he knew that look too well.  
"No." He said bluntly.  
"Please?"  
"No… Tomoyo's always telling me… you can't fight for reasons like yours. You can't fight for revenge…" He knew he was being hypocritical, should he ever meet the person who'd killed his mother he wouldn't hesitate to kill them, in fact he mused that he'd probably dismember them.

Yuui looked angry.  
"Even if they deserve to die? Even if they committed genocide, torture, murder…"  
"Even if they deserve it… I won't teach you to become a killer." He couldn't believe he was repeating the sermon Tomoyo drilled into his head every time he raised his sword but… Fay and Yuui were so little and pure. He could not imagine their hands tarnished with blood. Yuui, still darkened and scary sighed.  
"There are some exceptions… sometimes it's okay to kill." He said, under his breath in a terrifying tone. Kurogane shrugged.  
"Maybe… but I won't help." Yuui hesitated then nodded. If death was necessary, he couldn't involve other people. Fay and Yuui were in this together.

"Okay… magic it is then." Yuui took Kurogane's hand, interlacing their fingers. "Thank you, for taking care of us." The young boy kissed his cheek, soft cool lips dry against his jaw. "Me and Fay."  
"Shut up, you're getting way too sentimental." He snapped, having turned a wonderful shade of scarlet. "It's my job to take care of you."  
"If you say so Kuro-chuu." And with that, Yuui curled his small frame slightly closer to Kurogane, squeezed his hands into balls, closed his eyes and within seconds was out like a light (or pretending to be). Kurogane stared down at him, as delicate as he was it was perfectly acceptable he's mistaken them for girls, and as gentle as he was… he had a dark secret he was hiding. Kurogane knew, blowing out the candle, he himself had a troubled past, and had to wonder if they'd overcome it together.

All three of them.

A/n: Actually this was a filler chapter I added for extra KuroYuui yay. Why does my spell check recognise KuroYuui but not yay? Yay is for reviews…

(Ps: thanks to dreamsengraved for pointing out Yuui changing into Fay and back midchapter, corrected. Goddamn twins)


	5. Oh brother?

A/n: I've fallen in love with this story… I really have. -is just in love with the chibi Valerian twinnies really-

Chapter 4

It was a lot easier, now that he could talk to the twins (well… he could talk to Yuui, who would act as a translator between him and Fay) to tend to their needs. Over the next few weeks the improvements were visible, they put on enough weight to look human, and were sleeping considerably less than they had been, an almost excited spring in their step. However, Fay always seemed one step behind Yuui, and Kurogane had to wonder.  
"Is his magic still not strong enough?" He asked one day, while trying to teach the twins to play a card game Soma had once taught him. Yuui froze and whispered to Fay who also looked apprehensive. Kurogane waited patiently, "Oi… it's your move." He added. Yuui lay down a card and Kurogane hit his own head. It was like trying to teach brick walls. "You're meant to remove the jokers at the beginning." He pointed out.  
"I thought this was a joker." Yuui turned Fay's deck around and pointed at the queen of swords card. Kurogane groaned.  
"And you're not supposed to show your… Okay okay… enough cards." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, these two could be very dense. "Will his magic recover when he does or…"  
"Can we… not talk about this?" Yuui mumbled, helping pack up the cards, his fingers brushing Kurogane's hand softly as he did so. Kurogane, remembering the events of Yuui's hysterical fit, turned an amazing shade of scarlet.

"The hell not?" He grumbled.  
"Someone might overhear. And YOU are still speaking Japanese." Yuui pointed out, much to the warrior boy's confusion, then sighed heavily as Fay whispered something to him. "Fay asks if you have a pencil…"  
"A… a what?"  
"Uhm… a drawing utensil?" He hesitated and made swirly motions with his hand onto his palm as though he was sketching (and Kurogane mused that it looked like Yuui was sketching a slightly deformed snail).  
"Oh a graphite… yeah yeah. Stay here." He disappeared and returned a little later with a graphite stick and paper for Fay, who promptly settled himself in a corner with the paper on his lap, content in his own world.  
"What's he drawing?"  
"Not sure, he never lets me see until he's done." Yuui said proudly. "He's the artist, I'm the alchemist and we're both good at cooking." Fay yelled something rather loudly, interrupting them. "He asks if you like blondes." Kurogane had never really considered that, the girls he'd grown up with had natively dark hair, he glanced at the twins, their light hair and pale skin made them look somewhat exotic. Did he like it? He tried to imagine them as girls and only ended up giving himself a headache.  
"Uh… I guess… why?"  
"That's a yes, Fay what're you doing?" Yuui tried to peer at the sketch, but Fay huddled it up closer to his body hiding it from view. The two began to argue very loudly in their own language, Kurogane only able to understand Yuui's half.

"He's fine! It's a bad idea, you can't even translate and that's a basic…" Something Valerian was spouted back at him. "You're gonna make yourself sick!"  
"What's he planning?"  
"Oh be quiet," Yuui huffed and sat on the bed, arms folded in a pre-teen strop. "Both of you. Just know I'm against it." There was another long moment of silence, Kurogane finished packing up the cards wondering if it was normal for the two to fight. Seeing how close they were he doubted it, but he supposed brothers and sisters had to fight sometimes. Fay mumbled something. "I'm not asking him, YOU ask him!" Yuui snapped. Kurogane figured they had to be talking about him.  
"Ask me what?" Fay stood up, folding his picture up and sliding it into his robe. He crossed to Kurogane and put both of his hands against his forehead. From his plkace on the bed Yuui was obviously regretting it.  
"Don't… Fay I'll ask just…" He whimpered. Fay fell to the floor dizzily, the effort of the spell taking its toll.  
"It makes it easier." Fay mumbled, and Kurogane knew the young boy had put the same translation spell on them. "Kuro…"  
"Hi." Kurogane offered lamely.  
"Hi to you too… is there a room I can use?" Fay's voice was slightly dazed but the beautiful blue eyes gazing up at him were firm.  
"Say no Kuro-kin." Yuui begged tugging on Kurogane's arm. "Tell him he's an idiot."  
"We have the same brain so…" Fay stuck his tongue out and Kurogane rubbed his head in frustration.

"You guys know what 'time out' means coz I'm this damn close to sending you!" He cried, the orange flecks in his red eyes lighting up dangerously. Both twins fell silent under his gaze then Fay laughed softly.  
"You're right he really does remind me of an angry puppy," He told Yuui.  
"The hell!" Kurogane smacked Yuui on the side of his head, Yuui just grinned back stupidly. "Now what is it you want to do?"  
"Magic!" Fay and Yuui's word was the same, but Fay spoke eagerly and Yuui's voice was filled with worry and irritation.  
"Tell him no." Yuui instructed.  
"Is there a place I can go?" Fay begged.  
"Please Kuro-tan!" They both chanted. Kurogane found himself torn between both boys and gave a frustrated growl. Why did they have to be TWINS!? How could he choose between one or the other? Between a rock and a hard place really didn't cut it because both places were equally dangerous territory.  
"I can't stop him." he told Yuui eventually. Fay smiled, kissed Kurogane on the cheek, much as Yuui had done previously, and Kurogane felt the same scarlet on his cheeks. "Shut up that doesn't mean I'm on your side!"  
"Fine if you have to do this I'm with you." Yuui sighed in defeat, taking his brother's hand. The twins smiled softly at one another, fighting forgotten now that one of them had won. "Kuro-sama, is there a room… we'll need about 6 hours away from everyone else, and afterwards we'll both be exhausted." Kurogane cautiously nodded, scared of what they were up to.  
"After food… coz you guys can't stand to skip meals!" He said.  
"Thank you, Onii-san." Fay bowed and Kurogane froze. This guy thought of him as a brother? Even Yuui cocked his head.

* * *

And the night was still. Eerily so. The only sounds were the two blond boys hurriedly adjusting things in the room by the dull candlelight. With the window open the moon lit the room bright silver, while the pathetic candle offered a slight orange glow to the room.  
"Sure about this?" whispered Yuui, trailing a thin water circle on the floor around them using a rice bowl they had commandeered from lunch  
"It's for Kuro." Fay whispered back, making sure the moon reflected in the water he himself was carrying. "After we're gone, he'll need someone." He kept his voice quiet, so they would not disturb anyone in the other bedrooms. For the first time since arriving at the palace, Fay and Yuui had let the door be closed: which Kurogane (still reeling from the 'Onii-san' comment) had found to be incredibly worrisome.  
"At least show me your design." Yuui pouted. Fay grinned and shook his head. He offered his brother his hands, still pale and bony, and Yuui had no choice but to take them.

Truth be told, he was being a little selfish. He didn't want Kurogane to have anyone else, and he wasn't sure why. All he knew that was in their absence he wanted Kurogane to think of them. How cruel.  
"He knows not to come in til morning right?" Yuui asked for the millionth time, as he concentrated all his energy into their entwined fingers, Fay's drawing between their hands.  
"Yes, I told him to wait until sun up." The room began to glow a brilliant blue, lighting their faces up, and both boys had to be quiet as their energy left them.  
'Please,' Fay thought. 'Please work, keep him sane and safe.' He thought desperately.  
'Please,' The voice in Yuui's head echoed. 'Don't fall in love with her.'

* * *

In all honesty Kurogane hadn't slept much that night, his pillow had felt more like a rock than ever, and his mattress scratched his alert skin. He was fully awake by 6am, but the sun didn't rise until 8 so he had no choice other than to wait until he could go check on them. What if the spell had been too much for them? What was so bad they couldn't ask for his help?

Pushing the door open seemed just plain wrong with their usual insistence of it being left open, after receiving an ominous silence at his knock he forced it. Both twins were slumped against the other, completely undignified in a spontaneous sleep on the floor next to a large pile of bundled up comforter.  
"Idiots." He muttered, crossing the room and smacking one of them (for when they were asleep he couldn't tell them apart.) on the cheek softly. "Come on, morning, up… oi." A sickening thought crept into hid mind and he leaned closer trying to hear if they were breathing. As he felt a shuddering warm breath tickle his ear it came as speech.  
"Any closer and I might just kiss you, prince charming." Yuui warned exhaustedly. Kurogane snapped back.  
"The hell!" He roared, Fay did not shift. Yuui tried his hardest to open his eyes but was unable to, so kept them closed. He could hear the Japanese birds singing merry morning melodies outside, and his heart beating… Fay's heart too. Kurogane shuffled a little, making sure Fay was okay, without leaning too close. Tcheh! Boys kissing! He knew the twins were ridiculous but... Tcheh!  
"She's for you." Yuui mumbled eventually. "Under the covers."

Kurogane had previously assumed the comforter was thrown there to catch them when they fell unconscious, so had paid it no mind, but looking at it now. It was moving… not violently but general telltale signs of life stirred beneath it. He picked the edge up and peered under it. Bright brown eyes stared back at him, blinking gently. Her pink lips slightly parted , on her knees with her legs folded underneath her, the girl was around 16, and naked as could be. Skin so pale it glowed, she looked soft and delicate, her long blonde hair conveniently covering her nipples, barely. Kurogane calmly put the cover back down covering her up. Then he fell back with a nosebleed.  
"WHAT'D YOU DO!?" He demanded, waving his hand furiously in the hidden girl's direction.  
"Do you think she's pretty?" Yuui asked, sounding half worried. Blue eyes locked with Kurogane's slightly dazed red ones. He didn't know when, or what it was, but he knew why, somehow his feelings for Kurogane had changed from that stranger who was guarding over them to something more…

A strange feeling if there ever was one, for he'd never been particularly close to anyone other than Fay, who was somewhat his other half. Kurogane protected him, when he'd most needed help, he didn't judge them for their magic which had caused them problems in their own world, nor did he care that there were two of them.  
When Yuui was with Kurogane he could swear the rapid heartbeat, flushed cheeks and nervous disposition were proof he was feeling… almost… lucky?

A/n: Props for Chii?  
Also, reviews are love.


	6. Goodnight Sweet Prince

A/n: Slightly darker chapter.

**_Chapter 6_**

"Che's designed to look like our mama." Fay explained a little later when both boys had regained consciousness. Yuui was up and able but Fay was still tired, and curled up against his twin brother cutely. "Che is beautiful."  
"It's pronounced 'she'." Kurogane corrected, running his hand through his hair. "Tomoyo's gonna kill you," He growled, and both boys suddenly looked very frightened.  
"We're sorry." Fay whispered tearfully.  
"We didn't mean to…" Yuui sobbed.  
"Look shut up she won't _ACTUALLY_ kill you, but she'll be mad, you can just… create teenage girls. Especially naked ones!" He added with a sigh. The young girl who had peered out from the duvet cocked her head cutely.  
"We're sorry that che doesn't have clothes…" Fay said softly, cuddling against Yuui and feeling he'd done wrong.  
"Chii?" The girl repeated, picking up on the shortest word.  
"SHE." Kurogane growled. "Why is SHE here?" He indicated to her as she stood up and then he quickly looked away, swatting at his nose to make sure it wasn't bleeding. She evidently had no sense of decency.

"Shii?" She queried. Yuui kissed Fay's forehead before getting up and pulling the blanket around her to cover her up.  
"Don't call yourself that." He said softly, stroking her face. She really did look like their mother, Fay had designed her well. Kurogane felt an odd ache seeing the confrontation and he wasn't sure why, so he dismissed it.  
"Where exactly is she gonna stay?" He demanded  
"Well che can stay in our room, we don't mind." Fay offered trying to sit up and falling back with an 'oof'. Kurogane moved to sit beside him and support him the way Yuui had done. Sure enough Fay leaned against him without hesitation.  
"She doesn't have to eat like a proper girl." Yuui explained. "Or drink,"  
"And we did make her for Kuro-onii-san." Fay simpered cutely.  
"I'm NOT your Onii-san!" Kurogane growled at Fay who simply smiled innocently back up at him.  
"No he's more like a good luck charm." Yuui offered, nearly knocked off his feet by the girl who was hugging him over enthusiastically for no apparent reason.  
"Who needs a big brother or a leprechaun hat when we have our big puppy!" Fay cheered cuddling against Kurogane's waist. Yuui felt a twinge and Kurogane growled.  
"Fine I don't care, just keep her the hell out of sight and if you get in trouble: I knew nothing." He said, pulling away from Fay and storming out. He slammed the door for emphasis.

Then Yuui panicked and started to scream. Fay was overcome with fear and started to scream. The blonde girl saw her two creators screaming, so copied. Kurogane hurried back in.  
"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!" He roared. Now he really did have his hands full. There was silence as the two boys stared at him with tears in their eyes and the girl cocked her head. "**Okay**, I didn't think. And don't make her scared of doors, damnit!"  
"Che didn't know any better." Fay whispered, Yuui ran over and hugged his brother tightly.  
"Che is stupid then!" Kurogane muttered then sighed as Fay and Yuui held out their hands for him, like infants for their parent. "Now you got me doing it… Chii it is then?" the twins took hold of him and tugged him forcefully into a hug.  
"Chii!" She chirped happily.

* * *

"Think she'll be up to it?" Fay asked, stroking Chii's hair as she slept. After a very long day he'd finally mastered the 'sh' sound, but Chii happened to like her name the way it was.  
"Kuro-kin doesn't EXACTLY take much looking after." Yuui reminded his twin. "He takes care of us mostly."  
"True… with this setback it will be a week or two until I'm ready to travel." Fay mumbled sleepily, looking down at the form of the sleeping teenage girl, she was a bit bigger than them so the clothes they had let her borrow seemed rather… inappropriate, they actually made Fay a little uncomfortable, but Yuui didn't seem in the least bit phased.  
"She will… take care of him?" He whispered worriedly. Fay nodded.  
"She's kind of a testament to how much we care about him." He told his brother, sifting tendrils of Chii's long blonde hair through his fingers and glancing at Yuui. "Any other person in the world and we'd have just left, right?" She really was beautiful, even if she didn't speak much (though ironically after only a day of existence her Japanese was better than either Fay or Yuui's), she had a certain charisma.  
"I wish… I wish we didn't have to." Yuui whispered eventually. "I like it here."  
"If there's even a CHANCE we can help anyone there…" Fay said weakly, knowing the chance was very slim.  
"You do know… we're heading into this to die, right?" Yuui said under his breath.

There was a tense pause and Fay nodded.  
"We know, but we have to try anyway right." The two brothers linked their hands and squeezed gently. 11 years old with the world on their shoulders, Fay and Yuui had to wonder if they really were unlucky. Did they cause the trouble back home?  
"It's not our fault." Yuui whispered defiantly, shaking his head and clenching his eyes shut, trying to convince himself. "It's not."  
"We've not been trouble here, nothing bad has happened." Fay whispered tearfully. "So it CAN'T be us." He promised.  
"We didn't do it." They both said together. Chii stirred a little, her beautiful brown eyes so reminiscent of their mother's fluttering open.

"Chii." She mumbled sleepily, cuddling into his lap a little deeper.  
"Chii, please listen to me very very carefully." Fay said, eyes streaming, tiny silver droplets fell onto Chii's cheeks from his wonderful blue eyes. "Please, we NEED you to look after Kuro-onii-san while we're gone."  
"Ku…ro…" She whispered before nodding firmly as though she'd understood. "Time of gone?" She asked curiously.  
"Soon… we'll be going soon." Yuui told her.  
"Time of here?"  
"We're…. not sure." Fay lied softly. Truth was he was certain they wouldn't be returning here, but he didn't know how to explain that to Chii. "Keep it quiet for us?"  
"QU… QUIET!" She yelled putting her finger to her lips.

* * *

"Amazing…" Tomoyo whispered surveying them closely.  
"They're… like normal kids." Soma whispered back. True enough Kurogane was swatting at Yuui furiously with his wooden katana as he had randomly perched himself on his back. Fay was balanced on one foot aiming a water gun at them both and trying not to hit his brother.  
"I guess they are…" Tomoyo smiled cutely. "Hey Soma… do you think there's a chance Kurogane is gay?" Soma literally fell over in shock, such a question from such a small girl seemed outright wrong.  
"Hime-sama! What on earth makes you think that?" She squawked, getting up and dusting herself off furiously.  
"Well… I found him in his room with a half naked girl… and he appeared uninterested." She said wistfully, apparently unphased by the event.  
"Why were you spying in his room?" Soma asked exasperatedly, trying to recover from the bombshell. "And he's 13, I'm not sure he's interested in… that… yet."  
"The way he is with the twins…"  
"Hime-sama, Kurogane is not gay." Soma stressed sighing softly.

"GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!" Kurogane roared. Yuui chuckled knowing he'd overstepped his mark and slid off of Kurogane's back as he huffed like a wild beast. Fay and Yuui had both agreed, that with Fay's health at its best since their arrival, first thing tomorrow morning they would leave Nihon. The past three weeks since they'd made Chii they had determinedly had as much fun with her and Kurogane as possible, the twins agreed that after everything they'd endured, in light of everything they would have to face: they deserved a LITTLE bit of respite.  
"Oooh, we made the puppy mad!" Fay giggled aiming the empty water gun and hiding behind Yuui.  
"And shut the hell up, what if someone hears you chattering?"  
"Heh it doesn't matter they can't understand us, it's YOU who has to be quiet." Fay grinned teasingly. Kurogane sighed and nodded.  
"Whatever, just get cleaned up for dinner, and dried off too, your aim sucks." He signalled to Yuui, who had suffered the brunt of the water gun attacks. Both boys nodded in unison, then leaned up and kissed him on the cheeks. "I'm...uh... gonna go check on the girl. See yas." And with that he took off, wooden katana over his shoulder.

Fay and Yuui smiled softly and sadly at each other.  
Tomoyo giggled.

* * *

Yuui couldn't sleep. His heart was racing and his breathing was harsh. He'd never been more nervous. At least before he'd known death was impending due to starvation or dehydration or something… now he was heading into it blindly. Come dawn they'd march out the palace doors and to their fate. His heart and his head hurt trying to think it through. He peered down at his sleeping brother, laid beside him in their bed, a hand drawn map clutched tightly in his fist, and then at Chii, curled up a little like a cat on the floor. He sighed heavily and stood up, creeping out of bed.

He slunk across the hallway and pushed the door of Kurogane's room open. The slight creak didn't stir the warrior boy, and Yuui slipped inside. He slid over to the bed and sat beside Kurogane's sleeping form. Tentatively his pale hand traced over the side of his face exposed, and he jolted awake violently.  
"THE HELL!" He hissed.  
"Sorry." He whispered, shrinking away.  
"Yuui… the hell are you doing?" He muttered half sitting up propping himself onto his elbows, blearily staring at the young blond.  
"I… couldn't sleep." Yuui admitted honestly, not bothering to explain why he couldn't.  
"You okay to leave Fay?"  
"He's with Chii, and the door's open, he'll be okay." Yuui was the clingier of the two, so he knew that Fay would be fine if forced to sleep alone, even if he himself turned into a nervous wreck without his twin. "I didn't mean to wake you." Kurogane nodded and yawned in a way Yuui had to think was very cute, not that Kurogane would ever tolerate being called that.

"Yeah well, I'm up now." He muttered darkly groping blindly for a candle. With a sleepy difficulty he lit it, the orange light washing over them.  
"Sorry." Yuui mumbled smiling sadly. "I can go if you want." Kurogane sighed and shook his head.  
"S'fine, s'my job right… just... stop doing that." Yuui looked utterly confused. "Smiling… I know you don't mean it." Blue eyes, illuminated with the flickering orange glow, blinked in response.  
"You'd rather I cried?"  
"I'd rather you acted the way you felt, moron." Kurogane groaned, it was too late for this kind of conversation. "What I mean is, if you're happy, great good, be happy, but if you're sad go ahead and be sad nobody's gonna get pissed at you for it."  
"In future… I will." The young blond whispered. "Can I sleep here tonight?" Kurogane had expected that and sighed, he shifted over a little, making room for the other boy to lie down. Yuui wriggled his way under the covers and clung onto Kurogane. His bony body felt irrationally cold and weak against the blooming warrior's chest but Kurogane didn't comment on it, just slung one arm over his shoulder and ordered:  
"Get some sleep." Yuui nodded, and Kurogane shivered, feeling a wet patch appear on his shirt, just bellow Yuui's cheek. The younger of the two was crying, and Kurogane didn't deal well with tears, so just closed his eyes, hoping whatever it was, that Yuui could tell him in the morning.

A/n: Awww!  
Reviews are love.


	7. The Boys Are Back In Town

A/n: yummy reviews.

_Maybe back-story is needed for the rest to make sense. Fay and Yuui's dad died when they were very young (of illness I believe), their mother died after their father (she committed suicide) but did raise them for a little. The years after that aren't specified in the manga, all we know is years later the two were locked up by their uncle: the king. My story, my rules: they lived with their uncle until such a time as he went stark raving loony and started killing all his people. Mmkay?_

_Also: they never specify Valeria's climate. I always assumed it to be cold like Celes, though not as extreme and icy. So…_

**Chapter… 6 mebe? 7...ish?**

"Where were you?" Fay asked, carefully tying a knot in a pillow case full of food and first-aid supplies they had managed to pilfer from various places in the palace.  
"Bathroom." Yuui said coolly, as Fay slung it over his shoulder and handed another pre-made one to his twin. Yuui had been careful to creep out of Kurogane's room without waking him up as soon as the sun began to rise. He hadn't actually slept much, and had been content just watching his protector sleep: for he could not protect them where they were headed.  
"The guard goes off duty in 5 minutes... we can get out then, you have everything you need?"  
"Nerves of steel and my twin brother, yes." Yuui whispered back as the two crept through the halls with their makeshift backpacks. True enough the castle was silent at this hour, the sun barely beginning to creep in through the windows, chasing the twins down the corridors as they left. Fay held his breath and Yuui instinctively did the same as they rounded the corner. Sure enough the guard was just leaving, giving them a two minute period in which to escape.

It felt so wrong. To be turning their backs on the one place that had ever accepted them… to be running away from the one person who gave a damn about them, was just plain wrong. But sure enough the brothers ran through the doors hand in hand, out into the vastness that was Nihon. They were down at the bottom of a VERY large hill before either dared to speak.  
"Where's Valeria from here?" Yuui whispered peering at his brother's map. Thank goodness for his photographic memory.  
"Far away… at least a week's travelling without magic, without transport." Fay sighed, furling it up and tucking it into his yukata pocket. In their pillowcase packs they had both packed an extra outfit, knowing it would be much colder in Valeria.  
"And with magic?" Yuui whispered.  
"Til nightfall I think."  
"I say we travel as far as we can, then use our magic to get as close to the city borders as possible… that'll give us time to recover before we face off."  
"Sounds like a plan to me…" Their identical blue eyes met briefly for reassurance that this was the right thing to do. Yuui squeezed Fay's hand, and Fay squeezed back. "We'll be out of Nihon before they even wake up…" Fay promised and the two began their journey west, the sun against their backs, following the nervous and apprehensive preteens.

They didn't talk when the morning sun was fully up, even when townspeople scuttled around them like ants, jabbering away in Japanese, or when the afternoon sun beat down on their pale skin and white blond hair: the two were silent as could be. Because after all, what is there to say to an 11 year old who knows he's about to die?

Not a word was passed until nightfall, when the two were exhausted from walking, and Yuui's feet were bleeding with the stress. He whimpered and sat down, rubbing them gently.  
"We rest here for the night then." The terrain had changed drastically, even with only a day's walking, the busy town had fallen away to green hillside and ragged mountain. The place they had chosen to stop at was a small stream, Yuui splashed his face twice with the cold water and refilled their canteens before curling up beside his tired brother on the damp grass. Night was well set in around them, their hands found each others in the dark and interlinked.  
"Think Chii's okay?" Fay asked, a slight pain in his voice. "And Kuro?"  
"They're fine." Yuui mumbled hopefully, trying very hard not to think of the dark haired wild eyed warrior and the beautiful young girl they'd left behind. "What do you think we'll find in Valeria?"  
"Not much to be honest. There wasn't much left before we were shut away. The sane ones had left and the ones who stayed were nearly all slaughtered in their own heads." Fay shivered and moved closer, laying his head against his brother's shoulder. "But if there's anyone left to save, we'll save them." He promised. Yuui nodded. "We know kindness now. We know how to help people." And with that, everything was said, and the two terrified twins curled comfortably tighter against each other so they formed one little blond ball and fell asleep.

_

* * *

__Earlier_

Red eyes were focused intently as he tucked his sword into its sheath.  
"You're bringing them back?" Tomoyo asked casually.  
"Yeah." Kurogane said unblinkingly, tying the cloth for his carry bag tightly. He'd already ordered a carriage to take him to Valeria, hoping to make it there by mid-morning tomorrow. "Freakin idiots." He muttered darkly. Waking up to find his bed empty had been chilling, and even without the door to their bedroom being closed: Kurogane had known something was wrong. A search of the castle yielded nothing but a few missing supplies and a rather skittish Chii. The twins had disappeared. And Kurogane was damned if he'd let them get away with it.  
"How do you know they've gone home?" She questioned softly, though she herself was also convinced of the fact, she knew due to background. Kurogane had no proof they'd returned to Valeria.  
"Something Yuui said," Kurogane muttered absently, before wincing, realising his mistake. Yuui was supposed to be foreign, and thus unable to say anything.  
"Something Yuui-kun… said." She mused before nodding. "As I suspected: their magic is strong."  
"You knew!" Kurogane roared, adjusting his armour. It had sat unused in his room for too long, he only got to use it during intense practice sessions with Soma, but it had remained polished and ready for battle. Tomoyo nodded curtly.  
"Well... Chii-chan didn't come out of nowhere." Normally the young princess would be smiling, but she had an almost solemn tone to her voice.  
"You knew about… you know too much, y'know that!?" He growled and Chii, who had been hiding under the bed poked her head out tentatively.  
"I know." She smiled. "Chii-chan will accompany you?"  
"Dunno, she might die." Kurogane surveyed the teenage girl apprehensively, wondering if girls were bad luck in battle.  
"Kurogane, do you have any idea what you're facing?" Tomoyo questioned, beckoning Chii out from under the bed. The blonde hurried up and glomped her new secret friend.  
"Two bratty twins who run away a lot?" Kurogane suggested hopefully. Tomoyo sighed and shook her head.

"Kurogane, Nihon currently has no alliance with the kingdom of Valeria, our knowledge is limited, any intrusion our forces make into their territory is considered hostile. Kendappa-chan only managed to rescue Fay-kun and Yuui-kun on a magical technicality." Her violet-blue eyes met with his rebellious red ones. "The current king is… to put it frankly: insane. We have no clue of his army numbers, just that the people are suffering... and the King has no desire to back down. If you go there alone you'll be killed." She said simply.  
"Then…" Kurogne's eyes fell to the floor. He was many things and stupid was not one of them. He couldn't take on a whole country alone.  
"But, in the name of love, one must start a FEW wars I suppose." She grinned wickedly and his heart leapt. There was hope. "I'll send in 6 troops, only as backup… of course." She hugged him and he rolled his eyes. "Your first ever take-over. I am so proud of you."  
"Ow ow ow! Okay! There's no need to…" Chii joined in, cuddling them both tightly. "AH! Not you too! Damnit you're as bad as the twins!"

And that's how Kurogane found himself, beside Chii, in a carriage hurtling through the mountainside, with half the Japanese army behind them, on foot, on horse, in transport. Kurogane's knuckles tightened on his sword and he glanced at Chii, who had been cutely dressed by Tomoyo. Even in a beautiful flowing dress that left little to the imagination: he was not given a nosebleed, nor distracted from his focus in anyway. Presently he had one goal.

To find Fay and Yuui.

* * *

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Fay whispered weakly, he'd braced himself for the impact but it didn't quite prepare him for what lay ahead of them. Yuui sighed and bowed his head, squeezing his brother's hand with his left, and crossing himself in religious belief.  
"Mama said in situations like this we close our eyes and whistle… right?" Yuui looked over what had once been their home.  
"I don't wanna close my eyes, I'm scared of what I'll step on." Bodies littered the streets, piled high in varied stages of decomposition, fires burned wild and the stench of burning flesh rose high. The castle itself and its many turrets stained with blood. They began traipsing their way through, peering through windows and open doors, trying to find survivors.  
"I can hear a baby screaming." Yuui whispered, and began to whistle softly, leading his brother carefully through the remains of Valeria. The king in all his madness had caused such chaos in what had once been a peaceful city. The baby's crying became louder and louder, screaming desperately. Instinctively the twins headed towards it, pinpointing the sound to be coming from a run down house, the door hanging off one hinge and swaying in a non existent breeze. Sure enough sat at the table strapped into a highchair was a baby boy, amber eyed and chocolate haired, howling like nothing on earth. The beheaded body of a man lay slumped across the table.

Fay felt queasy as he unstrapped the little boy, and cuddled him close. His brown eyes clenched shut instinctively, he was no older than one, and looked exhausted from the effort of screaming.  
"Shh little one, it's okay." He promised. There was a bang from one of the other rooms and Yuui cringed.  
"Sounded like a shot." He whispered, and tentatively peered into the bedroom from whence the noise had come from. A woman with long black hair lay bleeding, and the smell of gunpowder was fresh. She'd just blown her head off with her son in the next room. That was how he killed, he got inside their heads, he drove them to insanity. Yuui suppressed the tears and looked at Fay who nodded in understanding and stepped back, covering the child's eyes. They'd grown accustomed to death, but the baby should not be exposed to such things.  
"It'll take a lot of magic to get him out of here." Fay said sadly, stroking the baby's unruly hair and trying to calm him.  
"He's mortal and we don't know sealing magic so the time-change will age him…" Yuui nodded.  
"Where's the nearest safe world?" Fay asked curiously, as Yuui peered at the baby to check him for ailments or injury.  
"The nearest GUARANTEED safe dimension would be… The 8th… Clow Country to be specific."  
"That's 7 dimensions away." Moaned the weaker twin, he sighed and shook his head. His own strength was not important. "A 7 year old on the streets of Clow has a better chance than a baby here." Fay and Yuui waved their hands and a droplet tumbled out of the sky, stopping just above the unnamed baby's head.

There was a moment's pause, and the baby stopped crying, he looked up at his saviours with cinnamon brown eyes, one glinted with the light, the other remained dull and unfocused.  
"Poor thing. He's blind in that eye." Yuui said softly and sadly. "I think someone hit him."  
"Probably his mother, and the guilt killed her." Fay murmured depressedly. He kissed the child on the forehead and handed him to Yuui, who did the same.  
"Take care, little one." There was an 'OFFFWSHHH' sound as the droplet took over the baby boy and vanished him to another dimension.  
"I could've sworn you called him Little Wolf." Fay said trying to break a smile even though the air of death was moving ever closer.  
"To the castle?" Yuui asked, and they both nodded, grabbing each other's hands.  
"To the castle!"

A/n: Syaoran making a little cameo there. Hah. Expect minor delays in my story updates, my laptop's busted and won't be fixed until friday.  
Reviews are awesome (smile).


	8. Once Upon A Time

A/n: GOODNESS I missed my computer!!

Any feeling of power and surge of confidence at being in charge of an entire army was extinguished the second he hopped out of the carriage and surveyed the carnage. Even he, in all his steel nerved glory, was queasy, looking out over the death and destruction ahead of him.  
"Kuro?" Chii questioned, sliding out of the carriage and accidentally flashing her panties to him and the troops, but he couldn't nosebleed right now. "Why are the people all sleeping?" She whispered, looking at the bodies cluelessly.  
"Get back in the carriage," He hissed, tightening his grip on his sword and turning to stare at the hundreds of men at his command. "I need 10 men on a rescue mission, scour the wreckage and search for survivors."  
"And if we find the twins' bodies?" Asked one braver soldiers.  
"You won't!" Kurogane barked firmly, "They're not dumb enough to come all this way and die before the showdown. The rest of you! We're storming the castle!" Kurogane pointed directly ahead, at the medieval style castle built with faded bricks, stained with blood of numerous unnamed civilians. The windows were blackened and hollow, making the entire castle seem ominous and foreboding. "Chii, you stay in the carriage and don't move!" He ordered.

"But… someone is calling me." Chii whispered, closing her eyes. "A voice… a familiar voice." She stepped forward, and Kurogane could only stare incredulously at her. It wasn't her showing him up in front of the army he was worried about, only the fact she was acting so strangely. He hoped she was okay, because he couldn't deal with all three of them going AWOL.  
"Fay's or Yuui's voice?"  
"No… a voice." She murmured and started forward. Kurogane sighed and ran his hand through his hair.  
"Rescue team, get to rescuing already, and the rest of you, with me!" He called, and followed the blonde girl who seemed to be walking… almost floating in a trance.  
"The robot picked a fine time to malfunction," Muttered a soldier darkly.  
"Don't complain the first in line always ends up dead and she's no great loss." Kurogane swung around, sword raised at his throat.  
"She may be a ditz but she's on our side so shut up and do as your told!" He roared. The soldier's brown eyes widened in shock as though he didn't expect such a Spartan approach from the wild eyed teen.  
"I just meant that… she's not exactly human and…"  
"And I just meant that you shut your mouth got it!"  
"Kurogane-san, with all due respect… she's wandering ahead while we're having this spat." One of the other fighters pointed out. Kurogane turned to see, true enough Chii was edging closer to the castle in her dreamlike state.  
"DAMNIT GET BACK HERE!" He cried and chased after her, the troops following picking up the pace considerably.

The castle doors were ornate steel carving, but had been seemingly melted with some kind of magic. Kurogane braced himself, ready to face what lay beyond the doors as Chii pushed them open. No sooner was the large open corridor exposed she fainted backwards into Kurogane's arms. He sighed and looked down at her, so serene in her sleep.  
"Someone take her." He ordered, and passed her off to two soldiers.  
"You guys… just wait here. I'll yell if I need you." The young boy unsheathed his sword and headed into the corridor.  
"Sir we've been instructed to guard you and help overthrow the tyrannical leader."  
"You've been INSTRUCTED to follow my orders…" He called angrily.

* * *

_earlier_

"Did we really need to blow off the doors?" Fay questioned, creeping through the large corridor entryway. Yuui shrugged,  
"I figured, we got all the way here, we might aswell make a noise about it." The two boys were dwarfed in the large castle they had once called their home. A few telltale bloodspots showed there had been violence, but it remained largely in tact.  
"Think he'll even be around?"  
"You mean do I think he's dead?" Yuui looked at his brother and shook his head as he answered. "He's not the type to die in battle." He sighed. "For the last time, wanna go see our bedroom?" Fay nodded and followed the corridor, sliding into a bedroom. Decorated in blue and green, it was obviously the room of royalty. A large turquoise four poster bed with gold silk embroidered along the cotton sheets, a portrait of their mother hung on the wall directly opposite the bed, and a box lay open on the bed.

"I remember leaving that there." Fay whispered hurrying over to it. The room was untouched, just as they had left it, he sat on the edge of their bed, the soft feather mattress a comfort to his aching legs. Yuui stood, peering into the box. Love letters from their father to their mother, the 'you're too corny' replies she sent back, a necklace she had once worn, general paraphernalia from their childhood. They had gotten it out when their uncle, already insane, had screamed that they had killed their mother, they'd given her the sadness and killed her.  
"We were never that small." Yuui said softly, pointing at a pair of pink baby booties. Their mother's diary had revealed that all those years ago she had been expecting a girl. One girl. And ended up with twin boys.  
"Once we were, she said we were so tiny daddy could fit us on one hand." He laughed, knowing she'd probably exaggerated. Closing his eyes he could picture her, the mother he had loved so dearly, but the father she spoke so fondly of had died before they could remember. She made him out to be so wonderful though.

"In a way… we did kill her." Yuui said sadly, picking up the necklace and dangling it from his finger. "She says we looked like daddy. It must have been so hard for her to look at us."  
"Mama committed suicide, we were too small to know she had the sadness," Fay heard a noise upstairs and sighed. "We'll all be together again soon enough." He stood up and set the box down. Yuui placed the pendant back on top of the letter from his mother announcing her pregnancy.  
"Once upon a time." He whispered as though starting a story. "We were a happy family. Mama's waiting for us in heaven with the father we don't know." A single tear fell down his cheek and Fay wiped it away for him. They exited the room with heavy hearts and headed towards the final destination. Their uncle would be in the throne room, atop his usual chair. And sure enough he was.

Eyes rolling madly in his head, hair matted and hands almost skeletal, wringing each other.  
"There you are! Fetch me the maid this coffee is cold!" He cried loudly, throwing a glass of mouldy milk in their vague direction.  
"He doesn't even know we've been gone." Fay whispered sadly. It really was rather pathetic, for he had not always been a cruel man, he had raised them since their mother's death quite well, growing more and more eccentric with each passing day, descending slowly into madness.  
"Do you recognise us?" Yuui asked, feeling terrified.  
"You are the witches sons!" He screamed. "THE FOUL WOMAN YOU MURDERED, THE WITCH THAT BORE THE TWINS OF MISFORTUNE!" His voice was hoarse from disuse and Fay had to think this fate was as bad as theirs, in the tower and below it. All he was doing here was sitting and rotting, waiting for death.  
"We didn't kill mama and we're NOT unlucky!" He told his uncle. "Do you see what you did to Valeria?"  
"Valeria! Sweet Valeria!" (no pun intended) "Take a look around boys, all this will be yours someday." He cackled, extending his arms, palms flat out in a grand gesture.  
"He's not evil, just mad." Yuui muttered, half disgusted.  
"But mad with a lot of power, we agreed to do this." Fay sighed and bit his lip. "For what was once Valeria, for our past and its future."  
"SPEAK UP BOY!" Barked the King, grinning showing malicious looking yellowed teeth that were almost fangs.

"We're sorry uncle, but… we're here to stop you!" Yuui informed him. The man stared unblinkingly.  
"Well if it's a fight you want I'll lock you away! You'll never see daylight again!" He laughed wildly.  
"You already tried that!" Fay wailed, and held his hands together, creating a ball of energy. He aimed to throw it. The king panicked and thrust his palm forward a bolt of black lightning shot forth and Fay crumpled to the ground. Yuui froze in his spot staring at the silent huddle that was his brother, laying burned and bruised haphazardly on the floor. There was not a single movement, nor a ghost of a breath and Yuui could feel tears rising at the back of his eyes.  
"NO MORE!" He screamed, "NO MORE WILL DIE BY YOUR HAND UNCLE!" The door opened and Kurogane charged in, looking like a small boy with a very big sword, which in reality he was. The king's eyes set and widened, staring at the young warrior, sword raised. Yuui whimpered. "Kuro-sama why are you here!?" He wailed.  
"Saving your sorry ass!" Kurogane barked and turned to face the king who had paled considerably.  
"The demon boy!" He gasped, clutching his hand to his heart. Yuui waved his hand so that Kurogane and the king could understand each other.

"YOU TWO BROUGHT HIM HERE!" The king rasped, turning on Yuui, who was guarding Fay's body with arms wide to protect him.  
"Kuro-rin didn't know! He shouldn't be punished. Kuro get the hell out of here this is my fight."  
"He's the one who caused all that outside isn't he?" Yuui nodded slowly. "Then you're right, he deserves to die."  
"I REFUSE TO BE OVERTHROWN BY A MERE CHILD!" Barked the demented king  
"I'm no child," Kurogane grinned, a bloodthirsty look on his face.  
"The boy from the prophecy. The twin boys born to the witch of Valeria will summon the boy with blood colour eyes to overthrow the King," He croaked, standing on his feet shakily. Yuui's eyes widened and tears streamed down his cheeks.  
"THAT'S WHY?" He wailed. "THAT'S WHY YOU LOCKED US AWAY, WHY YOU KILLED EVERY MAN WOMAN AND CHILD IN VALERIA, THAT'S WHY FAY'S LYING DEAD AT MY OWN FEET! BECAUSE YOU WERE SCARED OF NOT BEING KING, YOU **DO **DESERVE TO DIE!" He screamed.  
"I will not be stood up to by the likes of you!" The king snapped at his hysterical nephew.  
"Try being stood up to by the likes of me then!" Kurogane barked, raising his sword.  
"Kuro - don't!"  
"One overthrowing coming up!" Kurogane smirked and charged forward, Yuui screamed in fright, and it happened so easily.

Kurogane had never killed a human before, and the feeling of a sword piercing flesh and cracking ribs was a scary reminder of how fragile life could be. One minute the king was standing tall, ready to fight to the death with magic, the next Kurogane's sword was sticking right through his back, blood blossoming over his robes. And all life slowly drained from his face, his angry eyes fading to diluted vacant ones, and all colour washing away. All the suffering the country had been through, ended so quickly. Kurogane yanked the blade back and the King fell backwards onto his throne. Dead. There was a dry cry from behind him, as Yuui fell to his knees.  
"Fay!" He sobbed, clutching his twin close to him. Kurogane gulped softly. After he had tried so hard, had he been too late.  
"Is he…" He asked tentatively.  
"He got hit… I… I don't know. I can't be without him." Yuui's nails gripped into Fay's shoulders. They had come into it expecting to die but had naively assumed it would be together. They wanted to go together. One twin without the other… it wasn't fair.  
"Is he breathing?" Kurogane approached but Yuui growled.  
"STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" He screamed. Kurogane froze, realising the scene was much like how reckless he'd been when his mother had died. One wrong move and Yuui could easily kill him or Fay in desperation.  
"Hold your hand to his mouth… is he breathing?" Yuui shakily did as told.

And Kurogane waited with baited breath.

A/n: Would I or wouldn't I?

NOTE: I AM IN HOSPITAL, I AM UNABLE TO RESPOND TO MOST REVIEWS I GET, BUT I STILL APPRECIATE THEM. I ALSO APOLOGISE FOR THE LATE UPDATE, THERE IS NO INTERNET IN THE HOSPITAL.


	9. The End? Not Quite

A/n: wow I was mean in that last chapter.

Chapter 9:

"He's breathing." Yuui's eyes softened, knowing his brother needed urgent medical attention and he looked up pitifully to Kurogane for help. Given silent permission to move, the young warrior didn't hesitate to sheath his bloodstained sword and scoop Fay up.  
"We're heading back to Nihon," He ordered. Yuui whimpered and scrambled to his feet, following his mentor and guardian. "I've got an army outside, they'll get us home without any stoppages,"  
"He'd never make it all the way there. He got hit real hard! He's… he's going to…" Yuui sniffled and closed his eyes, prepared for the worst.  
"Then… do you have enough magic to get us there that way?" Kurogane questioned, as the two walked hurriedly down the empty hall.  
"I'm too tired!" He sobbed. "I'd end up killing all three of us." Tears flowed freely down his cheeks. "We're meant to protect each other!"  
"Would you shut up!" Kurogane barked. "He is NOT gonna die!"  
"I have lost everyone in my life Kuro… please… I can't lose Fay." Kurogane nodded and looked down at Fay who lay breathing so gently Kurogane was scared it was his imagination. He was very pale and the ends of his hair were burned black. He was no doctor but the prognosis wasn't good. Fay was already the weaker twin and whatever he'd been hit by certainly wasn't helping his poor health.

"Kurogane-san." A soldier breathed, seeing Kurogane splattered with blood carrying the barely alive body of one of the twins close to his chest and trailing a weakened one behind him.  
"No time for talk, we're heading home, and fast!" He growled and headed back towards the carriages. "Half of you stay here on rescue."  
"Kuro! Fay!" Chii squeaked, standing up and hurrying over. She hugged Yuui close, but he didn't return it.  
"You're awake." Kurogane muttered approvingly.  
"I'm Yuui." Mumbled Yuui looking at Fay as he lay dying in Kurogane's arms. He knew that if he had to go, he'd like to go there, but he clenched his fist. He desperately wanted Fay to hold on, because being a solo twin sounded like a very lonely prospect.

* * *

"Tomoyo told me to tell you the troops returned from their rescue mission, they managed to find a whole bunch of people seeking refuge in the old church." Kurogane offered, entering the room. Yuui was laid across Fay's bed holding his hand. Three days since they got home and he had not regained consciousness, but on the plus side had not died either. Tomoyo came in regularly to cast spells on the injured boy. Yuui had been alarmed to know magic was trusted, and that the people readily accepted royalty with magic in their blood.  
"Survivors…" He breathed. Kurogane nodded.  
"Yeah at least 50 in the church, and around 30 were found elsewhere within the city so far, mostly women."  
"Because he was scared of the demon boy… that'd be you."  
"How'd he kill them if he never left the castle?"  
"I'm not sure, something to do with his magic I think, or maybe it's like a virus and he was infected too. He may be just as much a victim as those who died. It got inside their heads, drove them mad. Pitted families against each other. Mother's killing sons, brothers and sisters stabbing each other, whole spates of suicides…" Yuui's voice seemed far away and distant, he stroked his brother's face and kissed his hand. Fay stirred a little, then stilled causing Yuui and Kurogane to smile slightly.

"I'm convinced he can hear us." Yuui mumbled.  
"I'm sure he can, he's just being lazy." Kurogane muttered and ruffled Fay's hair in his sleep. He sighed softly and looked at Yuui who was obviously exhausted from the effort of staying by Fay's side constantly. "You **have **eaten right?"  
"Yeah, Tomoyo-hime brought some food up earlier." Yuui smiled sadly, then remembered Kurogane had told him not to do that and wiped it from his face. He cuddled a little closer to his brother, thankful for the warmth emanating from his body. "How is Chii?"  
"Sane, she's not jabbering on about voices anymore." Kurogane offered. "His burns are pretty bad they'll scar…" He added, looking at the sleeping twin. Sure enough, his hands and his feet were badly burned, worst on his legs. Somehow his pretty face had remained in tact. Eyes resolutely closed like a porcelain doll.  
"That's fine. As long as he lives." Yuui whispered. "I never said… thank you… for everything."  
"He wasn't worth dirtying your hands." Kurogane said looking at the young boy. He nodded softly, and tears sprung into his eyes. He stared at Kurogane and bit his lip. He should say it. Now while they were still young and naïve, where gender wasn't a card, while he could maybe stand a chance.  
"You saved our lives… you helped my country… I could never repay you." He whispered, his tone a little strangled, heart racing and palms sweating.  
"I never said you had…"  
"Uhm." Fay murmured. Yuui gasped and couldn't take his eyes from the stirring blond.

Fay struggled to open his eyes.  
"We in heaven?" He mumbled eventually.  
"No." Yuui promised, kissing his brother's cheek. Fay blinked the days of sleep from his bloodshot eyes.  
"Hell then?"  
"You wish. Hell's gonna look like a holiday when you're well enough for me to deal with you. What were you thinking, running off like that?" Kurogane demanded, however, his voice was soft, as though he was secretly more pleased Fay had woken up than he wanted them to know.  
"Kuro…" Fay whispered in shock. His cute little voice was hoarse with disuse.  
"I'll explain everything." Yuui swore. "Just rest." Kurogane stood up and excused himself.  
"I'll leave you two alone for a little while, Tomoyo'll wanna know he's up anyway." He left the door slightly ajar for the young brothers as he left, smirking slightly.

Yuui retold the story the way eleven year old boys do retell stories, full of gasps and over dramatic flails and roars, occasional blushes and smiles.  
"So… the demon-boy saved Valeria," He concluded, trailing off a little.  
"The end." Fay suggested, finishing the Once Upon A Time.  
"Not quite…" He began wringing his hands, scared to admit it. "You should know… I think… I'm in love with Kuro-tan." Yuui said, feeling slightly shameful he'd considered telling Kurogane earlier, Fay ought to know first. Fay smiled.  
"What am I, blind? I noticed." He croaked.  
"Are you… mad?" Yuui dared to ask, his own voice betraying him and showing his fear.  
"Why would I be mad?" Fay winced and squeezed his twin's hand. "It makes sense to love him, after all he's done for us. Shoot for the moon, Yuui." Yuui had to smile, genuinely, at the tiny play on words. He kissed his brother's forehead.  
"I think he likes Chii though, she's a girl… and she's curvy too!" Yuui lay down.  
"He better not!" Fumed the burned twin.  
"Eh!?"  
"I just uh… I meant uhm… you're better for him?" Fay suggested lamely, and Yuui had to laugh.  
"Brother…" He whispered softly. "I'm so glad you're alive."  
"Uh… well I'm pleased about it too y'know." Fay suggested, and despite his injuries he slid his arms around his twin.

* * *

Watching Fay's recovery was heartbreakingly slow. For weeks he couldn't walk, stand or do anything on his own, such were the burns on his arms and legs. Yuui assisted as much as he could, but ended up being hospitalised for exhaustion, after that Tomoyo forbid him from playing doctor and insisted he take it easy.  
"No." Kurogane scolded as Yuui automatically went to fix Fay's pillow.  
"But…"  
"A nurse can do that… better yet, I'll do it. You sit!" He barked, adjusting the cushion. Both Fay and Yuui pouted.  
"Ne, Kuro's a meanie!" Fay moaned.  
"A real big meanie!" Yuui agreed, nodding in confirmation.  
"The doggy bites!" They said together.  
"What the hell you two!" Kurogane growled. "Sometimes being your friend is like being your babysitter!"  
"Ehhhhh… did you hear that? He called us his friends!" Yuui grinned, leaning close to his brother and speaking in a tattling whisper.  
"I heard it I heard it!" Fay chirped. Kurogane glared.  
"Screw you guys I'm going to go practice… don't you dare touch his pillows Yuui!" He added as warning but Fay struggled up, trying to stand. Yuui helped him sit up but prevented him from leaving the bed.

"Kuro, one last…." He coughed raucously, and Yuui gave him a sip of the cold water by the bedside. "One last thing… come here?" He begged, shaking rather violently. Kurogane approached hesitantly. What happened next shocked both Kurogane and Yuui.

Fay kissed Kurogane, fully on the lips.

A/n: BAD FAY!


	10. Eternally Childish

A/n: heh, this update took way too long

Chapter 9

Kurogane pulled back, blinking in confusion and surprise. Fay let his eyes flutter open, only to see Yuui running from the room, hurt and upset.  
"Go after him!" He ordered Kurogane, who was still apparently stunned, his hands raised to his lips. Quickly recovering the young ninja roared  
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!", turning an amazing shade of red as he did so.  
"That, was a kiss." Fay said simply.  
"I… I get that you freaking idiot, WHY did you kiss me, you're a boy! I think… and anyway there's…. WHY!" He stomped his foot, utterly bewildered by the strange young boy.  
"To see if you were into boys. I couldn't let Yuui pour his heart and soul into someone who didn't swing his way." Fay's blue eyes softened as he spoke, he looked slightly distant. "You kissed me back… so you must be okay with other boys… and since I look and sound like him… I knew I could make you fall for him the way he has for you."

Kurogane raked one hand through his hair, and sat down on the edge of the bed.  
"Your logic, is so messed up." He sighed. "Just because YOU think I kissed you back, which I didn't by the way because that would be weird!" He said haughtily. "Does NOT meant I'm into guys and it doesn't mean I have a thing for you… and falling for you and falling for Yuui are not the same thing," He growled, glancing at the twin who looked so confused. Kurogane wanted to be mad at him, but Fay seemed to earnestly believe his own words.  
"Yes it is… we're the same…"  
"No… you're not." Kurogane wondered how to explain it. "Physically yeah… you're identical. But you two… you're completely different. You're sensible, smart and shy… and he's… well he's a reckless idiot."  
"Don't call him an idiot!" Fay said, offended.  
"Oi. I'm talking, so shut up." Barked the native boy, "I'm thirteen! I don't know if I'm into boys or girls or neither… and he's crazy if he thinks he's in love with me at his age."  
"You shouldn't doubt him… we're only young but… we've been through enough to know what it is to need someone."  
"Needing someone is entirely different," Kurogane growled, irritated by Fay's offhand confession. "I'm not ruling out ever being in a relationship with him, yeah maybe in a few years, til then shut up about love and all that crap… get some sleep." He instructed, heading for the exit. Fay snuggled down into his covers before asking.  
"You _are _going after him, right Kuro-nii?"  
"Of course." Kurogane spoke softly, bowing his head. He left the boy to his recovery.

Finding Yuui was fairly easy, he was barely three feet away, at the window, crying. Kurogane sat on the sill beside him.  
"Yo." He said coolly. Yuui looked up, tears in his eyes, his pretty pale face torn between confusion and anguish. Then he smiled.  
"Yo." He responded, his mask in pieces. Kurogane sighed.  
"Moron." He said, pulling Yuui into a noogie. "Don't know which of you two idiots is worse," He joked.  
"Owww!" whined the stronger twin, pulling away from the playful fight. "I'm in turmoil here and you bully me, Kuro-chan is such a meanie!" He huffed, folding his arms. Kurogane nodded.  
"Serious time… no. I don't love you. Sorry kid."  
"Ugh, trust you to be blunt." Kurogane shrugged that comment off.  
"You pissed at Fay?" He asked gruffly.  
"No!" Yuui squeaked, shaking his head violently, splaying his hair. "I could never… he's my… a little bit." He bowed his head and wiped at his eyes. "I don't understand."  
"You'll have to ask him about that: listen I've got training so I gotta go." He stood up, and started walking away. He stopped still, back still to the young blond before speaking. "And for the record… I wouldn't be late for practice for just anyone."

* * *

"You're insane!" Kurogane roared.  
"Kurogane please calm down." Soma barked. Kurogane drew his sword and pointed it right at her, much to her amusement. Tomoyo shook her head.  
"I wish you would learn to control your temper." She said sadly, placing her fingers to her chin. She had called them into the throne room, Kendappa being away on business. Yuui and Fay (who was now able to walk, albeit with a severe limp: he insisted upon it) stood, pale as ever, hands clutched between them. Though physically they looked much stronger, their scared faces and tightly gripped hands reminded Kurogane of their first day here.  
"Screw temper! You want to send them back there? You're both crazy!" Kurogane howled. Yuui whimpered and Fay turned his head into Yuui's shoulder.  
"That's not what she said, moron." Soma muttered. "And put your sword away, there are ladies present." Since the whole ordeal, Kurogane had been permitted to carry a real metal sword around the castle: and thus was using every opportunity to show off with it.

"I just need to explain to the twins the severity and the legal implications of this." Tomoyo tucked her very long hair behind her ears and surveyed the young princes. "Valeria is to rebuild, they're without a leader. In this day and age a republic would be walked over." Her young voice was stern, she hopped off her pedestal and approached Kurogane, she took his hand in hers. "To be King is a scary thought…" Eyes on the twins, she continued, giving Kurogane's hand a gentle squeeze.  
"Morons." Muttered Kurogane darkly.  
"But to be without a king is a much scarier thought. With your help, princes Yuui and Fay… I would like to build an alliance. Not necessarily a merger, but until the time comes when the two of you are old enough to rule… or one of you whichever you so prefer, Kendappa would be in charge."  
"So it's basically, a takeover." Fay asked  
"Not at all." Tomoyo smiled sweetly. "If Kendappa watches over Valeria while it rebuilds, you still get to make any decisions, or overrule any of hers. It just means that you can stay here for now, to get the training you'll need to be leaders one day."  
"Deal." Fay said nodding curtly. Tomoyo smiled and curtseyed deeply.  
"Wait so… I'm stuck with these guys til they're…"  
"21." Tomoyo said with a rather cheeky smile. "I'm sure you'll have fun."  
"Fuck this." Kurogane grumbled, and stomped off.  
"He's not happy when he thinks we're leaving, and he's not happy when we're staying…" Yuui said sounding slightly amused. The love confession had been brushed under the carpet for now, with a vague promise of 'maybe later'. They had years together yet, and as Yuui helped his brother back upstairs, he had no doubt that eventually, he'd win over the ninja. Even if it meant bullying him into it.

* * *

"ONE MORE WORD FROM EITHER OF YOU!" Threatened an angry 20 year old Kurogane. The twins smirked, though now technically 'adults' only one had really grown up. Fay was pouring over a textbook, as was Kurogane who had been forced to by Tomoyo, whereas Yuui was flitting around like a sugar-high fairy. Both twins were chattering animatedly.  
"Oops, we got him mad." Yuui chuckled draping his arms over Kurogane's broad shoulders. "Sorry Kuro-shii."  
"Instead of being sorry." Fay said, barely raising his eyes from his book for a fraction of a second. "You could try ACTUALLY being quiet." He smirked mischievously, knowing that was a sure-fire way to keep Yuui talking, and returned to the Japanese writings. Fay had kept his hair short, hanging in front of his blue eyes now as he worked, Yuui however had grown his hair out, long blond tresses hanging in a loose and feminine ponytail.  
"Would-you-get-the-hell-off-me!" Kurogane growled through gritted teeth. The years had been good to him, muscles large and toned from the effort of training, his boyish face had matured and chiselled into a rough physique. Yuui often told him he was carved from marble (Kurogane often told _him _that he had cloth for brains)

Chii, eternally 16, came through, balancing a tray in her arms and against her breasts.  
"Chii brought tea!" She said brightly, sitting beside Fay, who gratefully kissed her cheek. Chii turned a funny shade of scarlet, she'd always liked when Fay did that, so returned the kiss on the cheek. As she tried to pull back Fay stopped her, meeting his girlfriend's lips softly.  
"Hyuu, aren't they cute Kuro-pon?" Yuui teased, snuggling closer to Kurogane, who only batted frustrated at him.  
"Whatever." He muttered offhandedly.  
"Mou, give it a rest." Yuui chided, deciding to settle himself on Kurogane's lap, much to the young warrior's irritation.  
"I WILL hit you."  
"No you won't." Fay and Yuui said together.  
"Decided to come up for air did you?" Kurogane said disapprovingly.  
"Hmmm… it looks fun." Yuui said, shooting Kurogane a meaningful look. "Want to try?"  
"I'm working." Kurogane grumbled embarrassedly.  
"Ne! the book is more attractive than me!" Yuui wailed, causing several of the staff members to stop and stare. Not that ninjas blush, but Kurogane turned pink.  
"Would you be quiet?" He hissed. But Yuui didn't, continuing to howl obviously false tears loudly. Kurogane grabbed him and kissed him.

Fay watched in interest, and Chii cocked her head cutely.  
"Uhm… wow. He actually found a way to shut me up." Yuui said as the kiss broke. He hopped off of Kurogane's lap and headed for the stairs.  
"Where… is Yuui going?" Chii asked curiously.  
"I didn't think it was possible, I owe Tomoyo-hime-san-sama-chan 500yen."

He said cheerfully, and bounded off up the castle stairs.

Kurogane just gave a heavy growl and glared at Fay, who merely smirked and continued with his work.

A/n: END!!! Done! Over! Reviews are smiley.


End file.
